From the Shroppie to Preston Brook Tunnel, Manchester 17.5.14

Shroppie, Middlewich Branch, Trent & Mersey 

and the River Weaver

Saturday 17th May 2014

This time we did a sharp left and we were back on the Shroppie, on our way to the Middlewich arm, our link through to the Trent & Mersey canal.

Leaving the Llangollen Canal, we did a sharp left and were on the Shroppie heading for Middlewich

We only had a short distance to go up the Shroppie, a mile and a half to be precise! The junction of the Middlewich Branch was on our right opposite a busy A road, we swing round hard and entered the bridge hole.

Entering the Middlewich Branch through the narrow bridge hole

The Middlewich branch is our route to Liverpool and has 4 locks in 10 miles of canal. It takes you to Kings Lock junction, and onto the Trent & Mersey Canal.

It's a very straight, quiet and pretty canal, built mainly concrete sided and on embankments overlooking the flat fields of Cheshire.

Boats are moored up either side of the entrance to the Middlewich Branch

Boats line both sides of the canal at the start, but soon it's empty of boats and people.

Concrete sides along the canal but its empty of boats and people

After a mile and a half we get to our first lock, Cholmondeston lock (where do they get those names from?).

We were tempted by the cooked breakfast smell wafting over us... but we just had an ice cream instead!

At the bottom of the lock we pull into a huge marina, Venitian Marina. Here we get gas, a spare conservation key (also known as an anti vandal key for the undesirable places were going through in the cities) and ice cream!

The canal is pretty boring in some places, straight with flat landscape ...

... and some were pretty places all green and blossomy!

We set off again and one and a half miles later we were at our second lock, Munshill lock. Deep at 11' but narrow, we were soon out and on our way again.

Leaving our second lock on the Middlewich Branch, its narrow but deep

After another couple of miles, we pulled over for a lunch stop on some 48hr moorings between bridges 12 & 13. 

We're looking for a spot to moor up for lunch now...

... and after a while we find the perfect spot...

The sides of the canal are concrete and there's an annoying ledge just below the water line, it's about a foot wide and means you can't get your boat right in to the side, and every movement of the boat means it scrapes on the concrete. So after some prodding with a long stick we moved the boat to a spot just up from the 48's where there was no concrete ledge!

... the views from the boat towards the fields and the village of Munshill

.... and towards the boat from the fields and village!

The sun was blazing hot, we got our chairs out and ate lunch looking at the stunning views over the fields and woodlands all around us.

It was so peaceful and quiet here, so beautiful we decided to stop here for the night.

Walking through the beautiful woodland...

... there was a convenient pub in the village

When it had cooled down a bit we took Jack out, had a lovely walk over the meadows and through woodland, conveniently passing The Badger Inn in Munshill, stopping off for a refreshing drink before making our way back to the boat.

Looking back under the bridge at our once lovely mooring spot...

After a lovely quiet night we set off again from our lovely little spot high up on the hill. The sun was glorious again, not a ripple on the water.

Now converted into a beautiful house, these old stables used to provide rest for the horses pulling the boats

We cruised on for five miles before getting to our first lock of the day, another deep 11' lock! 

It's another deep one!

There was a boat waiting to go in, so we waited our turn and went through, and after only half a mile between bridges 28 & 29 we pulled over, tied up and were greeted with, "Come in, kettles on!"

Ann-Marie and Dave having a cuppa and cake on the front deck, what a lovely place to sit in the sun!

Our lovely friends Ann-Marie and Dave on nb Legend were moored up here. They were going to leave later that day to head South from the junction, we were heading North towards Liverpool. (It wasn't coincidental that we met them, we had loosely arranged the rendezvous!)

N.B Legend, Dave and Ann-Marie, something's tickled their fancy! What a happy, lovely couple 

We had a lovely couple of hours with them, Ann-Marie had made three cakes! So we all tucked into cake and coffee and recalled tales of cruising and experiences shared.

We went to see them on their way as they went down Wardle Lock, they were turning right heading South

After a sad goodbye they went on their way, down the last remaining lock, turning right and on their way South through the junction.

Kings Lock Chandlery on Kings Lock Junction

It's mayhem at the junction, we've got this to come!

We walked to the Kings Lock Chandlery and back to the boat, Paul did his Good Samaritan thing and tried to help a Share Boat owner sort his engine out that had come to a stop! No luck!

We set off down Wardle Lock, we were turning left, heading North 

We set off to Wardle lock, the last lock on the Middlewich branch. At the bottom of the lock is a bridge with a blind junction, so Paul walked ahead, signalling when all was clear.

We left the Middlewich Branch and turned left, it's quietened down a bit here from the mayhem earlier!

Round we went to our left heading north up the Trent and Mersey canal. Boats are moored everywhere here, we weaved our way slowly so as not to touch them and very soon came to our first lock.

Hire boat company's think they can take over the canal with only room for one boat between them

There's three in a flight here, and it didn't take long to get down the bottom, a couple of boats were coming up so the locks were ready for us!

Looking back at locks one and two...

... and we're soon down the third, Paul waits to close the gate behind me

Half a mile later we were at 'Big Lock'! That really was what it was called! The pub beside the lock was called The Big Lock Inn and there were people everywhere!

The Big Lock Inn pub, next to the big lock!

A sign welcomes you to Middlewich, we were leaving, while people sunbathe in the lovely sunshine

It was a double lock, not deep but double width, no wider than were used to with double locks but wider than the other locks on this canal!

In the lock, with a hire boat from Cheshire Cats hire company

We waited till the couple of boats had gone down, watched as a hire boat came in and had no idea what to do! I think they expected us to operate the lock for them! After some friendly advice they were up and away, we went in with another hire boat and were soon down the bottom and on our way again.

Leaving the big lock, with new houses built up on one side

We only went a mile or so, over the tiny Croxton aqueduct and pulled over behind a row of moored up boats.

Crossing the Croxton aqueduct, just a small one this time!

Concrete sides and a ledge again, we stuffed tyres down between the boat and bank so as not to damage the boat. 

Walking the fields we could see Happy Daze snuggled up in the distance

We were quite tired by then but found a lovely walk round a field by the river for Jack. After tea we settled in, Paul fished, Jack sleeps and I put the telly on!

Our neighbour had taught his dog to climb the ladder after a swim in the canal!

On Monday it's grey and damp but warm. Paul goes off into Middlewich and picks up a bit of shopping at a rubbish mini Tescos and finds a fishing tackle shop for maggots.

Looking back at the Croxton aqueduct

When he gets back we set off in the warm and now sunny morning. 

Leaving our little spot on the towpath

The canal is twisty turny now, wide and deep with reeds across half the channel in some places making it impossible to pass a boat. It's pretty, sunny, and were enjoying every minute!

Signs advise of shallow water at the edge of the canal

Here the subsidence had caused a massive lake to form as part of the canal

It feels like we're right in the wilderness now....

And its just so pretty!

As we get nearer to Northwich the lakes get bigger (subsidence from the salt that was mined here years ago) and they make the canal wider.

More big wide lakes with the red warning signs...

... just letting you know not to enter the shallow waters

There are signs telling you to stick to the canal channel as the lakes are shallow. We pass through Rudheath and out into open countryside again.

The blot on the landscape, the chemical works at Northwich

In the distance is a huge chemical factory pumping steam and goodness knows what else into the sky. There main industry here is salt and chemicals.

Pipes and steel and ironwork cross over the canal...

Pipes cross the canal now carrying stuff from one side of the chemical works to the other, rusty old metal tanks are everywhere, but there's people in hard hats and fluorescent jackets working so they're still using the old rusty iron works.

Massive, that's the only way I can describe it...

... and pretty ugly too!

Next on our right is the ex Harrols boatyard. 

The ex-Harrols Boatyard, this is more or less the spot that Norfolk Lass was sitting waiting for someone to love her! 

... now owned by Narrowboats Ltd, a large chain of boat brokerages

This is the furthest I've been, the place I bought Norfolk Lass from all those years ago! It's called something different now, Harrols went bust and it's been taken over by another company, still selling boats though. Nostalgic memories of setting off with my very first boat and cruising down to Reading 15 years ago all came flooding back!

Leaving the industry of Middlewich, new modern offices appear by the canal

We're in virgin territory now, heading off into the unknown!

The 'flashes' over in the distance and this old sign shows that salt was the main thing in this part of the country

We leave Northwich and cruise on over embankments and out into the countryside once again, twisty with lakes from the salt mine subsidence all around us. Were looking for somewhere to stop now and we find the absolute perfect place!

This is beautiful, we spot a couple of moored boats up ahead and pull up in front of them

There's trees overhead and all around, beautiful walks in amongst the woodland. there's a couple of boats here already so we pull over and tie up. 

We get our chairs out and sit in the sunshine... while it lasts!

The sun is still beautiful so we have our lunch outside and Jack sits in the shade and cool of the hedge.

This is our view from the boat!

... and the view from the country park opposite towards the boat

The country park is full of woodland....

On our Jack walk we discover this is Marbury Country Park, a beautiful National Trust woodland and lakes, beautiful meadows and fields and park land!

.... and huge lakes, that's Jack not Jaws swimming in the cool waters....

... and he's having the time of his life!

Jack has a lovely time chasing the squirrels and went for a much needed swim in the lake.

If only we'd known that there was an outdoor swimming pool there we would have bought our cossies out with us and had a cool off in the pool! Instead we had a ice cream!

The lovely parkland is all around, this is a very special place to stumble across!

Back at the boat we sit out again catching the last sunshine rays before the forecasted rain comes .... well we would have had a long wait, seems they got it wrong again!

It stayed sunny until the sun set, it rained a little overnight but in the morning it was sunny again! So after our Jack walk on Tuesday 20th May, we set off down the canal the last mile to Anderton.

Leaving our little spot behind, what a place...

Anderton Services where we filled up with water and dumped our rubbish

We stopped on the way for water and a rubbish dump and arrived at Anderton early and tied up on the 24 hr moorings.

On the 24hr moorings at Anderton, waiting for the lift!

The trough is to the right of the picture, the lift is the big structure to the left.. pretty impressive hey!

A kiddies maze had been made out of the old unused weights that used to level up the lift

This was the home of the Anderton lift, a 80' bath of water that you cruise your boat into and it lowers you 50' down to the river below. It was fully restored in 2002, there used to be a charge to go down but now it's free if you hold a current C&RT boat licence, which we do!

We moved to the Holding moorings and waited our turn...

In the office we ask for the next available lift down, it's 12 noon now and we were soon booked in for our trip 50' down to the River Weaver at 2.15pm.

Back at the boat we have lunch, chuck a ball about for Jack on the grass and, as instructed moved the boat to the Holding mooring ready for our descent.

Entering the long trough before going into the final bath like trough that took us down to the river

The officialdom presses the buttons for the guillotine gates to come down to hold the water in

After our briefing from the officialdom, we set off into the Anderton Lift basin, on the thumbs up we went into the trough that descends down, tied the boat up and waited for the go.

The Anderton Lift sort of fitted in with the rest of the industry here, the river down below

Sitting waiting in the bath of water for our decent, the River Weaver in the distance

Just grinning.... this is such an experience if you're a boater!

The views were amazing, the river didn't look pretty but it looked interesting!

Thats it, we're in the trough, waiting to go down

And thats the end of the canal with a huge guillotine gate between us and millions of tons of canal water...

Slowly we went down, sitting in the trough of water, and as we went down a trip boat came up in the trough next to us.

As we go down a trip boat comes up on the other side, balancing the lift

.... and down we go, the trip boat goes up to the top...

... thats the trough the trip boat's in, the hydrolics under the bath of water pushes it up to the canal 

We met in the middle, waved to everyone, and carried on our descent. 7 1/2 minutes later we'd stopped moving, waited for the gate to open up and let us out!

The bottom end of the trough of water lifts up to reveal the River Weaver... and the huge factory!

On the signal we started the engine and off we went, out the lift trough and onto the River Weaver!

Looking back at the Anderton Lift, you can still see the left hand guillotine gate that we've just come out of still in the up postition waiting to take it's next passengers up to the canal

Straight ahead was an enormous chemical factory, ugly and dominating our surroundings.

... and the next boat it ready on command to enter the trough

We turned upstream on our way towards the end of the navigable section. There's only seven miles and two locks to the end so were going there and back!

Out into the open wide deep river we go.. the boat's loving this deep water

We soon leave the huge chemical works behind and were out chugging along the big wide river, trees and hills all around us.

Big diggers scoop out the silt and mud from the bottom of the river

... and this one's even on a floating platform while scooping out the muck

There's some dredging works going on ahead and we get waved through past the big floating pontoons with diggers and workers busy digging the silt and muck that's been bought down stream from the River Dune, a tributary that comes in at Northwich.

Going under Northwich's main road bridge

And leaving Northwich on our way to the lock right in the distance

We came to Northwich, this time by river and not canal as before, the 48hr moorings in town were full. We weren't going to stop there, the sun was shining and we were enjoying our wide deep river cruise a lot. The boat loved it too, lots of water underneath for the boat to glide along nicely.

Under the rail viaduct we go, our first lock in the distance

We soon came to our first lock, Hunts Lock, big and looming in the distance. Under the railway viaduct we go towards the open lock gate.

As we approach the lock a boat comes out, and the lock keeper beckons us in

As we had phoned and told the lock keepers we were coming we went straight in, they were expecting us so kept the gate open for us.

It's a big wide lock with only one gate open, pretty greenery on the gates!

I glided the boat in and the lock keeper lowered a rope down to us and instructed us to loosely tie our front and back rope to it. They pulled up our ropes, looped them round the bollard at the top and dropped them back down to us!

Paul clings on to the rope, its only just long enough to reach up the top and back again!

They then did all the work, we just had to hold on to the rope till we got to the top!

We leave the lock and our two cheerful lock keepers phone ahead to let the next lock keeper know we're on our way

As the gate opened for us to leave one of the lock keepers phoned the next lock ahead to let them know we were coming. Very friendly, very helpful, chatty lock keepers, very nice men!

Back into the wide open river again

We left Hunts lock and were out in the wide open river again.

And another rail viaduct over the river...

We went on another mile or so and came to Vale Royal Lock.

We approached the huge lock and the gates magically opened up for us!

Vale Royal Locks... the structure in the distance used to be the old lock, but is now used as a weir

The bottom gate was open and the lock keepers were waiting for us! They had the same system of lowering ropes down to us, we tied our bow and stern ropes to their ropes, hauled up, round the bollards at the top and back down to us. 
We kept hold of the ropes keeping us close against the sides of the deep locks.

Same rules apply, the rope is looped around at the top, dropped down and you hold on for your life!

At the top we went out the lock and half a mile on we came to the Vale Royal visitor moorings.

... and here we are, at our little spot on the river for the night

We glided in, two boats were already there, tied the boat up and were settled. It was a beautiful mooring, so peaceful, a few joggers and cyclists and dog walkers but we were a long way from any sort of road!

The beautiful rhodedendrum filled woodland went well with my trousers!

Grassy meadows filled with lovely wild flowers got Jack running about, or was it the rabbit smells?

Posing in the nearly dead bluebells, very muddy feet too!

We had a great walk with Jack over grassy meadows and rhodedendrum filled woodlands. He has a lovely time, so do we!

On our way back to the boat it surely is a wonderful picture!

Back at the boat I cooked us tea and we settled in for the evening. The rain eventually gets here by 7pm, it's a wide river here and very quiet. theres a distant rumble from the train line about a mile away and birds, ducks and geese all make their presence known! But that's it! We sleep soundly and wake to the geese in the morning.

The sun on the boat and the beautiful still waters of the River Weaver

The sun was shining beautifully again, the river as still as a mirror. What a lovely place to wake up! We get Jack out on his walk over corn fields and meadows and he runs to his little hearts content.

After washing all the flies off the boat that had landed and died overnight (this is common on rivers) we set off in the sunshine towards Winsford, the end of navigation.

The boat glides beautifully in the calm waters and the beautiful sunshine

This swing bridge is pretty low, we don't quite make it under without knocking stuff off the roof!

We only had three miles left to do but they were three very interesting miles.

One of the salt mines digging out salt, the hills on the left are the result from the flashes holes

An entrance to the salt mines... some sort of yurt I think!

Piles of salt, probably ready for our roads in the winter, line the river banks here

There were salt mines with huge piles of salt higher than a house, high hills created by the dug out salt pits, very beautiful it was too!

We turn around and head back the way we came...

We got to the Red Lion pub, the end for us. I turned the boat round and we made our way back down stream, although there was no flow what so ever.

... the same river with a different view, it always looks different the other way round!

We phoned the lock keeper at Vale Royal lock to let them know we were on our way. 40 mins later we were there, gates open and they were letting the water out.

The river Weaver, looking good!

Another view of the salt mines, they dominate the landscape here

Deep, deep smelly dark locks, but we only had to stay on the boat and hold the ropes.

This is the ladder you have to use if you climb out of the lock, looks like a sad ugly face!

We were soon out and on our way to Hunts lock and half an hour later we saw the gates open and in we went. Down, down we went, squirting muscles clinging to the lock wall. They squirt poisonous liquid out as the lock empties! Yuk!

These poisonous squirting muscles cling on to the lock wall next to the boat

A cheery wave from two very happy lock keepers, the happiest I've ever seen!

Soon out and a cheery goodbye to the two lovely lock keepers we were on our way once again. Half a mile later we were in Northwich and there was space on the 48's in town. So we pulled up, tied up and went and did some food shopping.

Not the best moorings here in amongst the bushes but we only stopped for a couple of hours

Butchers, bakers, candlestick makers, we visited them all, oh yes and MacDonalds! We got back to the boat, unpacked our shopping and set off again in the lovely sunshine.

We cruised on back past the dredgers....

...past the Anderton Lift

...and we continued downstream, enjoying the beautiful sunshine and lovely wide river.
This disused factory, soon to be houses, is a blot on the landscape hey!

We cruised on past the dredgers, past the Anderton lift and carried on downstream.

Saltersford Lock, this is as far as we're going.... now for the return to Anderton Lift

We just wanted to go and see that end of the river, so we went on a few miles and turned the boat round at Saltersford lock and headed back to the Anderton lift.

Waiting at the holding moorings for our time slot of 3.45pm

We arrived at 3pm and were soon booked in for the journey up the lift at 3.45pm, the last of the day.

We get our briefing from the officialdom before we go in...

Making our way into the right hand bath tub, this is going to take us up 50' back to the Trent and Mersey canal

Narrow boat Ellie May joins us in the trough, makes it easier to have a boat beside us this time

Another boat, Ellie May, came in with us and we made our ascent in no time at all. At the top we came out of the trough and back on to the Trent &Mersey canal, turning left this time heading north again.

Leaving the Anderton lift entrance, we turned left on the Trent & Mersey

Going under a difficult bridge on a tight bent we immediatly came to Barnton tunnel. This was the twistiest bendiest tunnel I have ever been in. It was like going in an underground cavern on a 55' boat at Alton Towers! Only room for one boat and not able to see the other end you just had to take a chance! It was not very long at 572yds so we were soon out, not touching the sides at all.

Our 'non planned' stop after a thick black jumper got wrapped around the prop.
The sign near the boat indicated what time we could go through the next tunnel.

As we came out the tunnel the boat suddenly stopped moving, so we pulled over and discovered a huge jumper wrapped around the prop.

There were some ringed moorings here, just before the next tunnel, Saltersford Tunnel, so we decided to stop here the night.

We all enjoyed the lovely walks with Jack over the fields and meadows and along the river bank.

After a lovely quiet night the next morning bought us rain! After a wet walk with Jack we were ready to set off again.

Entering the Saltersford tunnel on time so as not to meet any boats coming the other way!

The rain had stopped but we had to time our passage through Saltersford tunnel leaving on the hour. A sign said to leave from this end on the hour and up to 20 mins after, the other end passage was on the half hour.

The sign from the other end says to leave on the half hour, we had to leave on the hour

That way there was nothing coming the other way towards you in a narrow twisty tunnel.

The tunnel was longer than the last one, not so twisty and bendy, but you still couldn't see to the other end. We made our way through slowly concentrating so as not to bump into the tunnel walls and we were soon out the other side.

Most bridges were on difficult to see bends, difficult to see if there was another boat coming!

We went a couple of miles on weaving our way under difficult bridges and along wide open sections of the canal and spotted a perfect place to pull over.

There were lovely views, it was quiet and out in rural countryside with lovely walks marked on the map.

We had a lovely spot... so nice we stayed here for three days out of the rain

Weather forecast was for rain for the next few days so we stayed put in our little boat, snug and warm out of the rain. 

... but it was beautiful when the sun came out, the view looking back....

We got on with some much needed jobs and explored the countryside around us.

Looking down the canal as the sun set... and the clouds came once again!

n.b. Djinni moored on 'the breaches', our friends from Ringstead, what a surprise to see them!

By Sunday 25th May we were ready to set off again. It was still very damp and dingy but dry. So we headed up the canal a couple of miles through beautiful woodland and very pleasant surroundings.

It's our green and pleasant land here...

We came to a tiny 3" deep lock, the stop lock before the tunnel for the change of canal.

The tiny 3" lock, was it really worth it?!

Through the lock we went and waited at the mooring bollards just before Preston Brook tunnel. Another sign says to go through on the hour and it was 8.45am so we put the kettle on and waited.

This sign says to only go on the hour and up to 10 minutes after... its a longer tunnel this time!

A boat leaves the tunnel, it's our turn next after the important job of putting the kettle on!

Luckily we did as there was a boat coming through the narrow bendy tunnel, we could see their headlight in the distance.

Kettle's on and were waiting till 9am for the off....

The sign tells all.... only been reopened 30 years

At 9am we untied the ropes and set off through the 1239yd long tunnel, concentrating hard while I manoeuvred the boat around in the dark smelly cavern.

Entering the long dark cavern of the Preston Brook tunnel

... looking back towards the end of the Trent and Mersey canal as we get deeper into the tunnel

'We survived Preston Brook Tunnel!' and now we're on the Bridgewater Canal...

As we left the tunnel the Bridgewater canal had officially started. We left the T & M canal behind and were on a totally new canal now!

The Bridgewater Canal has no locks and runs virtually parallel to the humungous Manchester Ship canal. It's 31 miles long and runs from Preston Brook to Leigh in Manchester with a side arm to Rochdale.

Updated 29th May 2014